Cost of Living Comparison Between Hertfordshire and Manchester Cost of Living Comparison Between Hertfordshire and Manchester

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,559 in Hertfordshire versus $2,637 in Manchester.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,810 in Hertfordshire versus $3,830 in Manchester.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,062 in Hertfordshire versus $5,024 in Manchester.

Living in Hertfordshire costs roughly 3% less than in Manchester, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hertfordshire 86% above, Manchester 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.55 £20.40

$20.56 £15.22

34.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.9 £59.9

$94.0 £69.6

-14.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.81 £8.00

$11.03 £8.17

-1.99%

Cappuccino

$5.02 £3.72

$4.82 £3.57

4.15%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 £1.82

$2.53 £1.87

-2.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 £1.54

$1.73 £1.28

20.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.61 £4.15

$8.18 £6.06

-31.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.57 £4.12

$6.84 £5.06

-18.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 £1.14

$1.45 £1.08

6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 £1.45

$1.84 £1.36

6.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 £2.05

$1.93 £1.43

43.52%

Eggs

$3.67 £2.72

$3.99 £2.96

-8.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.18 £6.06

$9.53 £7.05

-14.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.28 £5.39

$8.96 £6.63

-18.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.89 £12.50

$15.76 £11.67

7.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 £2.55

$3.21 £2.38

7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 £1.22

$1.61 £1.20

1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 £2.32

$3.01 £2.23

3.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.46 £2.56

$3.42 £2.53

1.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 £0.88

$1.50 £1.11

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 £1.35

$1.33 £0.99

37.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 £0.95

$1.29 £0.95

-0.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 £0.95

$1.30 £0.96

-0.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.90 £16.21

$24.36 £18.03

-10.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 £7.55

$10.88 £8.05

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 £1.54

$2.46 £1.82

-15.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 £1.46

$3.08 £2.28

-36.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 £2.59

$2.68 £1.99

30.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.1 £65.2

$109 £80.5

-18.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.22 £3.13

$4.64 £3.43

-9.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.15 £3.07

$2.16 £1.60

92.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.88 £23.60

$30.39 £22.49

4.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 £1.50

$2.09 £1.55

-2.87%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$38.6K £28.6K

$39.5K £29.2K

-2.20%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.1K £30.4K

$41.6K £30.8K

-1.25%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$164 £122

$292 £216

-43.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.96 £13.29

$16.65 £12.32

7.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.81 £33.91

$39.66 £29.36

15.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.42 £35.10

$54.3 £40.21

-12.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.86 £13.96

Cinema Ticket

$13.71 £10.15

$13.54 £10.02

1.26%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,640 £1,214

$1,309 £969

25.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K £16.3K

$20.0K £14.8K

9.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.50 £35.16

$88.1 £65.2

-46.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.78 £30.19

$41.59 £30.79

-1.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 £55.5

$95.3 £70.6

-21.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 £81.7

$107 £78.9

3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 £1,357

$1,816 £1,344

0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 £1,014

$1,295 £958

5.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,886 £2,137

$3,067 £2,270

-5.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,335 £1,728

$2,020 £1,495

15.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,138 £3,803

$4,729 £3,500

8.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,448 £3,293

$4,465 £3,305

-0.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,275 £2,424

$3,446 £2,551

-4.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.21

4.87

6.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Hertfordshire: September 5, 2026

Last update for Manchester: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,834 in Hertfordshire and $1,816 in Manchester. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manchester pays 5% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Hertfordshire vs $94.0 in Manchester for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $300 per month, with Hertfordshire cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Hertfordshire vs Manchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hertfordshire is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Manchester. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,834 in Hertfordshire versus $1,816 in Manchester. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hertfordshire – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $94.0 in Manchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,559 per month in Hertfordshire versus $2,637 in Manchester – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Hertfordshire is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Hertfordshire is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Manchester, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Hertfordshire and Manchester are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Hertfordshire gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Manchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.